From Eden – Civic Theatre – Review
by Frank L.

Glass Mask Theatre presents From Eden by Stephen Jones
Directed by Jed Murray

November 19 – 23 Civic Theatre
December 9 – 19 Glass Mask Theatre

From Eden made its debut in 2015 in Theatre Upstairs directed by the much-missed Karl Sheils. It had subsequent iterations including RTE’s Drama on One and won several prizes including the Stewart Parker Trust Award and the BBC Northern Ireland Radio Drama Award. This new production is by Glass Mask Theatre. The background to it remains an eternal one, namely a dislike of what it calls “organised fun”, a fine example of which is the false jollity that surrounds the so-called celebrations of New Year’s Eve.

Alan (Rex Ryan) does not enjoy such occasions and has retreated from the hubbub of his brother’s New Year’s Eve party to the tranquillity of a bathroom under reconstruction where he does not expect to be disturbed. But Eva (Jordanne Jones) who is also retreating from the party does just that. She enters and locks the door only to find Alan, a man whom she does not know, already there. Their initial interactions are littered by more stops than starts but gradually they discover reasons why both have retreated from the party. We can hear the noise of the festivities, distant but close enough to remind them why each has retreated to this space.

The set consists of a metallic bath which stands on clawed feet, a lavatory, a standard wash hand basin and a chequered black and white tiled floor. There is also a pile of workman’s tools and general clobber, all typical of a space under renovation.

Alan is a wine drinker and Eva drinks spirits diluted by a mineral in a large, plastic bottle. They come from different social backgrounds but they have a common bond in that they both need some quiet time. As they are effectively trapped more by accident than design, they reveal to each other more of why each of them is there and aspects of themselves.

The underlying scenario of the play which is a dislike of organised fun and in particular the so-called fun associated with the happenings of New Year’s Eve remains a truth which sadly is not often acknowledged. It’s a play about two lost souls unexpectedly finding companionship. It is a fine piece of theatre and it is entirely appropriate and timely that it is revived at this time with New Year’s Eve looming.